1994 Season Summary
Statistics
| 1. | June 4-5 | Exide Nautilus Battery APBA Gold Cup | Detroit, Michigan |
| 2. | June 12 | Texas Hydrofest | Dallas, Texas |
| 3. | June 26 | Pontiac Thunder On The Ohio | Evansville, Indiana |
| 4. | July 3 | Indiana Governor's Cup | Madison, Indiana |
| 5. | July 31 | Budweiser Columbia Cup | Kennewick, Washington |
| 6. | August 7 | Seafair Texaco Cup | Seattle, Washington |
| 7. | September 18 | San Diego Bayfair | San Diego, California |
| 8. | October 16 | Outrigger Hydrofest | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Winner | Crew Chief | Designer | Builder | Engine | Course | Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/5 | Smokin' Joe's | Jim Lucero | Lucero-Jones | Lucero-Jones | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 52½ Miles |
| 6/12 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 6/26 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 7/3 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| 7/31 | Miss Budweiser (18) | Ron Brown | Brown-Jones | Ron Brown | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| 8/7 | American Dream | Danny Walters | Fred Leland | Ken Dryden | Lycoming | 2 Miles | 28 Miles |
| 9/18 | American Dream | Danny Walters | Fred Leland | Ken Dryden | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| 10/16 | Smokin' Joe's | Jim Lucero | Lucero-Jones | Lucero-Jones | Lycoming | 2½ Miles | 35 Miles |
| Built | Boat High Points | Total | Team Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | (1987) | Smokin' Joe's | 10862 | (2) |
| 2. | (1988) | Tide | 8772 | (3) |
| 3. | (1993) | Miss T-Plus (2) | 8175 | (4) |
| 4. | (1993) | American Dream | 7522 | (5) |
| 5. | (1989) | Miss Budweiser (18) | 7462 | (1-10908) |
| 6. | (1984) | Miss Exide (4) | 5793 | (6) |
| 7. | (1988) | Spirit Of Lake Chelan | 3451 | (7) |
| 8. | (1987) | Miss Budweiser (17) | 3156 | |
| 9. | (1992) | Miss Rock KISW-FM (5) | 2116 | (8) |
| 10. | (1984) | Aloha Bail Bonds | 1877 | (9) |
| 11. | (1990) | Sea Doo | 1864 | (10) |
| 12. | (1988) | Miss Madison (5) | 812 | (11) |
| 13. | (1994) | International News | 606 | (12) |
| 14. | (1992) | Miss Exide II | 576 | (13) |
| 15. | (1990) | Miss Sprint | 000 | |
| 16. | (1994) | Miss Budweiser (19) | 000 | |
| 17. | (1984) | Oh Boy! Oberto (8) | 000 | |
| 18. | (1994) | Miss E-Lam Plus | Dnq |
| Driver High Points | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mark Tate | 10862 |
| 2. | Nate Brown | 8772 |
| 3. | Chip Hanauer | 8226 |
| 4. | Steve David | 8176 |
| 5. | Dave Villwock | 7522 |
| 6. | Mark Evans | 5793 |
| 7. | Mike Hanson | 3494 |
| 8. | Mitch Evans | 3451 |
| 9. | Jack Barrie | 2116 |
| 10. | Ken Muscatel | 1877 |
| 11. | Scott Pierce | 1864 |
| 12. | Mike Jones | 606 |
| 13. | Jimmy King | 563 |
| 1. | Miller American (2) , Miller High Life (2), Miss Circus Circus (4), Winston Eagle (3) |
| 2. | Mr. Pringles (2) , Executone (4) , Ellis Park, Super Range Golf, Ultra Bold Dash |
| 4. | Miss Rock KISW-FM (6), Coors Light, Spirit Of Hawaii |
| 6. | Atlas Van Lines (11), Miller American (1), Miller High Life (1), Race Rock Motor City Diner, ARC Construction (4), Spirit Of San Diego, American Spirit (1), Miss Circus Circus (5) |
| 7. | Risley's, Seaco Aviation Fuels (2), Holset Miss Madison (3), Miss D.O.C. (2), Miss Chiro Choice Miss Meta Lax, Oberto Wild Waves, Oh Boy! Oberto Beef, Oh Boy! Oberto Pork (2), Oh Boy! Oberto (7) Poly Dyn, Miss D.O.C. Ray Ban, Alvey's American Eagle, A-2 Communications, Cooper's Express |
| 9. | The Brake Shop (2), Lytle State Rep., Miss UAW, Miss Hanalei Hotel, Dallas Motor Coach, ARC Construction (5), Tide's American Spirit, American Spirit (2), Miss Wellness Plan (2), Buehler's Buy Low, Kroger's |
| 10. | Miss Tosti Asti (2), Miss 7-Eleven, Cellular One (2), Competition Specialties, Vantage Ultra, Winston Eagle (1), Superior Racing, Miss D.O.C. Acuvue, Gerst Amber, Pete's Wicked Ale, Kauai Aloha, |
| 11. | Miss Circus Circus (6) Miss Tri-Cities (5), Burien Pit Stop |
| 12. | Holset Miss Madison (2), Holset Miss Mazda, Holset Miss U.S. Star, Gaylord's At Kilohana, Valvoline Miss Madison, Kellogg's Tony The Tiger, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes |
| 14. | Coors Dry, Miss Circus Circus (7) |
| 15. | ARC Construction Special, Easter Seals, Jackpot Food Mart (2), Miss KPOI, Miss Kpoi Gaylord's Kauai Ms. Pog, Taco Time |
| 17. | Executone (3) Mr. Pringles (1), Risley's (2), U.S. West Cellular, U-24, Oh Boy! Oberto Pork (1) |
1994
In a move to decrease the cost of racing the Unlimited Racing Commission instituted the use of a restrictor valve to limit fuel flow. This measure would cut down speed but also engine attrition and the consequent replacement of costly parts. In addition the number of Lycoming engines appropriate under the rules was not unlimited.
Kelloggs decided to cancel their sponsorship in spite of their entry gaining 14 m.p.h. in speed over 1992. This left a competitive team from Madison, Indiana on the beach.
However Exide Batteries of Detroit made the decision to get into Unlimited Racing. They purchased the Circus Circus that flipped at the Tri-Cities from Ron Jones Jr. After the showing of Miss T-Plus in Hawaii they determined to buy the double wing Circus also.
Moreover the Budweiser team must have been impressed by T-Plus' showing as they brought out their version of the double wing for 1994. Apparently Turbine II [T-2] would not get any further chances at victory 25 - an all time achievment. At the end of the 1993 campaign Turbine III [T-3] appeared to be six m.p.h. faster than Turbine II.
The Steve Woomer team made no changes except that in 1994 they would be sponsored By Camel Cigarettes instead of Winstons. They would now be known as Smokin' Joe's instead of Winston Eagle.
Bill Wurster's Tide had their budget cut coupled with permission to seek associate sponsors. The team was about eight m.p.h. short of being a front runner.
Miss T-Plus appeared to be on the verge of changing the sport at Hawaii last year with their double wing hull. Now with horsepower reduced their problems of getting through and off the corners would be increased. Prior to the fuel flow regulations both Exide and Budweiser jumped on the double wing bandwagon.
The Gold Cup led off the 1994 campaign. Before the first heat was completed her opposition received a boost when the Miss Budweiser lost her driver Chip Hanauer in an accident involving the escape hatch. The escape hatch broke and Hanauer was slammed in the rear end by a wall of water. This put him out of the Gold Cup and the next race at Dallas, Texas. Mike Hanson, out of a job after the Kelloggs' sponsorship fell through, became the substitute Budweiser driver.
Unlike 1992 and 1993 when Budweiser was temporarily out of the picture, the Steve Woomer team when handed an opportunity for victory in a race did not hand it back. Posting the fastest lap by two m.p.h. Smokin' Joe's won all five of her heats to win the Gold Cup beating every worthwhile contender at least once. The double wing T-Plus was 12 m.p.h. back and did not win a heat. In contrast Fred Leland's American Dream piloted by Dave Villwock surprised by winning three preliminary heats and being only 2 m.p.h. off the pace.
Mike Hanson, who arguably had a chance to win some races last year in Kelloggs, came through for Budweiser and won all four heats at Dallas to take the Texas Hydrofest. He had some help though since both Smokin' Joe's and Miss T-Plus were running damaged hulls in the final. American Dream was the trailer.
Chip Hanauer returned to the cockpit of Miss Budweiser for Evansville. The 1987 Miss Budweiser also returned to the scene as backup replacing the Bud double wing hull in this capacity. According to lap times Smokin' Joe's and Tide were in the hunt, but the 1989 Miss Budweiser swept all four heats to annex Thunder-On-The-Ohio.
Tide came within a second of Budweiser in an elimination heat, however she crashed in the first running of the *inal when chopped by Miss T-Plus.
Miss Budweiser 1989 again won all four of her heats to take the Indiana Governor's Cup at Madison. Tide came close to Budweiser in heat 3-B, yet she could not repeat this performance in the championship heat. As at Evansville Smokin' Joe's was second by a clear margin in the final heat.
Again according to lap times Miss Budweiser 1989, Miss T-Plus, Smokin' Joe's and American Dream all should have been in the ball game at the Tri-Cities. Nevertheless all the preliminary heats were won by Miss Budweiser and Smokin' Joe's and in the final Budweiser had a good margin over Smokin' Joe. The closest anyone came to Budweiser was the double wing Miss T-Plus by three seconds in heat 2-A.
Well, the 1989 Miss Budweiser blew over again preceeding the Seafair Texaco Cup at Seattle. At first Budweiser contemplated using the double wing Turbine IV [T-4] , but when Turbine II [T-2] came out of the parking lot to be top qualifier by 2 m.p.h., she got the call and would get another opportunity to post her 25th all time victory. According to lap speeds American Dream and Smokin' Joe's figured to be her main competition. On the basis of 1993 Turbine II was significantly slower than her flipped 1989 sister.
The parking lot Miss Budweiser had trouble all day long not the least of which was becoming airborne and almost blowing over.
She only made the trailer position in the final heat.
American Dream gave a portend of things to come when she defeated Smokin' Joe's in heat 1-A. American Dream then took the rest of her elimination heats and Smokin' Joe's the balance of hers. They were the favorites heading into the determinative heat.
Smokin' Joe's had mechanical troubles in the championship heat and American Dream led after the first lap by a second over the Miss Exide, which was about four m.p.h. down in speed to the Fred Leland entry, in the ensuing laps American Dream added to her advantage and heading into the last lap had five seconds on the 1984 vintage Miss Exide that had won four Gold Cups. Nevertheless Miss Exide got lane one on the final lap and when American Dream slowed on the back-stretch, she was at the drop of her roostertail. Coming off the turn Exide and American Dream were nearly even. American Dream bounced wildly off the corner, but driver Dave Villwock settled her down to win the drag race with the Miss Exide to the finish.
American Dream, aside from a little money from Performance Mortgage and Sunset Chevrolet, basically won the Seattle Seafair on a shoestring. With her shoestring intact and some money the now aptly named American Dream headed for San Diego where Von's Super markets replaced Sunset Chevrolet and Performance Mortgage.
American Dream was joined by a reworked 1987 Miss Budweiser, Smokin' Joe's, and Tide — who was to post the fastest lap of the regatta — as contenders. Tide defeated Miss Budweiser in heat 1-A, came close to the Bud in heat 3-A, and then couldn't get out of fourth place in the final heat. American Dream won her first two preliminaries however she blew in heat 3-A.
Budweiser also emerged victorious in two elimination contests beating Smokin' Joe's and Tide in the process. The aforesaid Smokin' Joe's won one preliminary heat although she was about three m.p.h. behind the leader.
American Dream was ahead off the first turn of the championship heat and took the measure of her opposition by eight seconds to win the San Diego Bayfair. Again Smokin' Joe's was clearly beaten. Miss Budweiser took a big hop and sustained tail and wing damage.
As the fleet traveled to Hawaii, Miss Budweiser led Smokin' Joe's by 404 High Points. To ensure her championship Miss Budweiser had to be top qualifier and finish second all day long at the last race of the season in Honolulu. Based on lap times American Dream, Smokin' Joe's, Miss T-Plus as well as Miss Budweiser all had a chance to win the Outrigger Hydrofest.
Smokin’ Joe's won all her preliminaries heading into the final heat. She got the best of Tide twice and Miss Budweiser and American Dream once. Miss T-Plus topped American Dream in heat 3-A with Miss Budweiser had engine trouble during this heat.
Tide jumped into the lead on the first turn of the championship confrontation and at the end of the initial lap was in front of Smokin' Joe's by one second. On the second circuit of the course Tide began to lengthen its margin and then she went dead in the water allowing Smokin' Joe's to take over. Miss Budweiser was second at this point where being 129 High Points ahead she could stay and thereby insure a World Championship. Smokin' Joe's went on to win the Outrigger Hydrofest and Budweiser the World Championship. Miss T-Plus and American Dream placed third and fourth out of contention.
At the end of the season the 2½ mile course lap ratings were: Miss Budweiser 1989 (158.1), Miss T-Plus (157.9), Smokin' Joe's (157.5), Tide (157.3) and American Dream (156.2). Not since 1971 had so many contenders been so close heading into the following year.
[Statistics from Greene, V.2]